This is an update to my first report. It is June 3, 2009. And I have been dealing with this issue since December of 2008. The maintenance man was supposed to have had the Orkin man come out here to treat our apartment about a month ago. My husband and I bagged up all our belongings, washed every stitch of clothes we owned and evacuated the apartment for hours. When we came back, I could smell some kind of bug spray, but when I sat on my bed, bugs came looking for me. And here we had spent

a lot of money to wash our clothes, and for what? The maintenance did nothing more than spray their Raid and call the apartment clean. Now, back in February, I bought new bunk beds for the kids, they are now so infested I have to throw them away. My husband, kids, and I are moving next month, Lord willing. We cannot take any books, unless they have been frozen in the freezer for about 24 hours, and we cannot take any clothes unless they are washed and dried several times. I refuse to bring this mess back with me. If anyone is contemplating staying at the Homelodge in Forest Park, GA, reconsider. Because this has been not only a nightmare, but a very expensive nightmare. Yeah, it's nice to have only 1 bill to pay when you are facing hard times, but bed bugs are no joke. And I am going to have another baby in 3 months, I cannot bring this child into this hell. We are starting all over again. No furniture, few clothes, and bare essentials. But God is still good. He is our provider. I will just be happy never to deal with this mess ever again, EVER!!!!!!!!

I have been a resident at the Homelodge for over 3 years. I live in their 1 bedroom apartment suite, and have enjoyed living here. All bills included in one rent payment including wireless internet, phone, and satalite cable tv, I couldn't ask for more. But, when my 1 yr old baby girl woke up one morning with a rash I was concerned. I took her to the ER thinking she has some kind of serious rash like measles or something. Turns out I had bedbugs. This was just the beginning of my nightmare

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I threw away her crib and mattresses, vacuumed thoroughly around the area, and had maintenance come and steam clean my carpets. I thought the issue was gone. But when my 5 year old started showing up with bites, and then my 10 year old, I was very concerned. My husband wasn't working many hours and we just did not have the money to move. I asked maintenance to spray, but they forgot about me and weeks later when I reminded them, they said they didn't have anymore of the spray. When the Orkin man visited(every 2 weeks)I asked him about spraying for bed bugs, but he said I had to talk to the hotel management.

Here it is, January 26, 2009, over 2 months after the first incident of bed bugs, and I am still struggling with them. My husband and I have thrown out both twin mattresses for our children, and have got a new king bed. We are going to be buying new bunk beds for the kids, and with that, mattress covers. We are also going to buy a mattress cover for the king bed and all pillows will be thoroughly washed again then covered. We have come to realize that we are alone in this battle. We pay $725 a month for rent which includes all utilities and cable, internet, and phone. This is the best we can do for now, so we will continue fighting.

But, the other night, January 23rd, when I paid my rent I talked to management and he said the whole hotel is infested and that the best he can do is fumigate my apartment but to do that we must be willing to go stay in one of the hotel rooms for 4-5 days. The thing is, he said, the hotel rooms are infested as well, and if you stay there, then when your room is done being fumigated and cleaned, you could bring the bed bugs back, because they are in all the rooms. Well darn, I said, that is a heck of a catch 22.

So, we are going to buy a shark steam cleaner, pillow and mattress covers, and just attack this apartment in hopes of some reprieve from these horrible critters. It is not funny to be eaten alive by bed bugs. They may not be harmful but their bite itches to no end. If anyone has any advice, please send it to me at [email protected]

This is, hopefully, our last year in this small apartment. You do what you have to when it comes to keeping a roof over yours and your children's heads. But I never bargained for this fight.